Why You Should Get the Flu Shot, According to Science

Do it for the herd.

You might not feel sick, but if you haven’t been vaccinated yet, you might be a breeding ground for the flu virus. There has been a lot of controversy surrounding the flu virus, so here are some quick thoughts on the issue:

You don’t necessarily get vaccinated for your own benefit. The true benefit of getting the vaccine is to help out the weak, sick, young, and old. It may seem a little counterintuitive, but it’s all about a little thing called herd immunity. If enough people get the vaccine, the virus has a much lower chance of finding any hosts to settle in, creating a population-wide protection against the infectious disease.

The vaccine isn’t a perfect fix. Twice a year, the World Health Organization develops a vaccine against the strains of the flu it predicts will strike. If they guess wrong, you might have wasted your time. Still, do it for the herd!